Freeways across metro Detroit getting new LED lights

Let there be light! Thousands of outdated and malfunctioning freeway light bulbs will be converted to energy-efficient LED fixtures.

by Hannah Saunders

Posted:Apr 04 2016 09:14PM EDT

Updated:Apr 04 2016 09:14PM EDT

Thousands of outdated and malfunctioning freeway light bulbs will be converted to energy-efficient LED fixtures.

You may have already noticed new LED lights and posts, lining parts of Michigan freeways like on I-94 in Livonia. Soon enough, you'll see them on all metro Detroit freeways, according to a big announcement by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

"What was announced today is a private public partnership contract that we put together last fall to improve freeway lighting," said Rob Morosi, MDOT Communications.

The new lights and upgraded posts, will replace the old ones, some as old as 50. MDOT says, among other benefits, this will cut the state's energy costs by about one million dollars per year.

"We have about 87% right now that are the old-fashioned lights, they are not very energy-efficient," Morosi said.

The project will cost a total $145 million dollars. About $79 million of that will be paid with federal funds. The work is being contracted to two companies based in New York.

"What we're doing is we're really leveraging private financing with an upfront cost over a 15 year period," Morosi said.

Construction begins this week in Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb counties. For a link to the schedule CLICK HERE.

"We're going to be working at night in a lot of instances so just be careful and treat it like any work zone," Morosi said.

The installation of all these new light posts, 15,000 in total, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017.